Filling end separator for multiple shuttle looms



Sept. 1, 1953 F. J. LEARD 2,650,622

FILLING END SEPARATOR FOR MULTIPLE SHUTTLE LOOMS Filed Feb. 1, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 1 45 23 do 60 F G ALL T 73 .5 65 A 1 1 2 so 9 6 Pl.- M 2 IF Q o 3 82 g c 66 066a ----L l 57 so 62 I 5 1 67a Q INVENTOR. P L 5 FewJ. Lump.

BY EMMM ATTORNEY5 Sept. 1, 1953 F. J. LEARD 2,650,622

FILLING END SEPARATOR FOR MULTIPLE SHUTTLE LOOMS Filed Feb. 1, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill INVENTOR:

fiREfl J. 5,420.

ATTORNEY5 Patented Sept. 1, 1953 FILLING END SEPARATOR FOR MULTIPLESHUTTLE LOOMS Fred J. Leard, Westminster, S. C.

Application February 1, 1951, Serial No. 208,943

8 Claims.

This invention relates to multiple shuttle looms and more especially toan improved attachment for preventing idle filling yarns which extendfrom the adjacent selvage of the cloth being woven to a verticallyreciprocable multiple cornpartment shuttle box from becoming entangledwith each other or from being drawn into the fabric being woven by anoutgoing shuttle.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, as a shuttle is thrownacross the lay of a loom into one of the compartments of a verticallyreciprocable multiple compartment shuttle box, there is disposed betweenthe adjacent selvage and the multiple compartment shuttle box a portionof filling yarn. The shuttle box may then be elevated or loweredaccording to the desired pattern and a shuttle from another compartmentwill be thrown out of the multiple compartment shuttle box across thelay after which this shuttle will be thrown back across the lay toreturn to the same compartment. Now, as the secondnamed shuttle isthrown out of the corresponding compartment in the multiple compartmentshuttle box, the portion of the yarn from the previously cast shuttlewhich extends between the selvage of the cloth of the fabric being wovenand the shuttle box may be pulled back into the woven material or fabricor may become otherwise entangled with these previousl cast portions ofthe filling yarn which may subsequently sever these portions of the yarnrequiring that the loom be stopped, and in the event of the yarn beingdrawn into the fabric being woven, it re sults in defective fabric and asubstantial loss,

It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome such defects asheretofore described by providing an individual automatic meansoperatively connected to the shuttle box for elevating each of the yarnsas the shuttle in the corresponding compartment is elevated and tothereby permit any shuttles therebelow to be thrown across the laywithout encountering the previously cast filling yarn or yarns.

It is another object of this invention to prm vide a simple andefficient means which operates independently of the usual operatingmechanisms of a loom and which not only serves to elevate the yarnextending from a corresponding shuttle as the shuttle box is elevated,but to also clamp previously cast portions of the yarn which extendbetween the selvage of the cloth being woven and the shuttle box andwhich may be connected to shuttles disposed below the herl zontal planeof the lay and to there-by, also, pre" vent the yarns extending fromlowered compartments from being folded back into the shed,

(Cl. Bil-170.6)

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide aplurality of spring biased fingers which are pivotally mounted on amultiple cornpartment shuttle box, there being one of these fingersdisposed adjacent the lower surface of each of the compartments and theuppermost of these fingers normally being biased upwardly while thosefingers therebelow are normally biased downwardly and each of thefingers being provided with suitable stop means to limit their movementin the direction in which they are biased with the result that, as theshuttle box moves upwardly from the lowermost position, the uppermostfinger will move upwardly therewith as the compartment therebelow isalined with the upper surface of the lay and. upon a compartment belowsaid second compartment subsequently being positioned in alinement withthe race plate of the lay, the corresponding finger which has heretoforebeen biased into engagement with the upper surface of the lay or with asuitable notch provided in the lay for reception thereof, will moveupwardly to substantially the same horizontal plane as the lower surfaceof the corresponding compartment to thus also elevate this yarntherewith so as not to be affected by the operation of the shuttledisposed therebelow. On the other hand as each of the shuttle boxesmoves downwardly, the corresponding finger moves downwardly and engagesthe upper surface of the portion of filling yarn extending between theselvage and the corresponding one or more of the compartments disposedtherebelow to thus clamp this filling yarn between the lower surface ofthe corresponding finger and the upper surface of the lay,

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a perspective viewshowing a por tion of a vertically reciprocable multiple compartmentshuttle box on one end of a lay and showing the improved yarn separatormeans in association therewith;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along the line3-3 in Figure 2 but omitting the shuttles from the correspondingcompartments and also omitting the filling yarns;

Figure 4 is an elevation similar to Figure 1 but showing the fillingyarn from the shuttle in the top compartment of the shuttle boxextending to the selvage of the fabric being woven.

Referring more specifically to the drawings,

3. the numeral it! indicates the conventional lay of a loom which issuitably secured to the upper portions of a pair of spaced swords II,only one of which is shown in the drawings. Each of the swords I I has apitman pin I2 therein to which the front end of a pitman rod I3 ispivotally connected, the rear end of this pitman rod I3 being connected.to the crank on a conventional crank shaft of the loom, not shown.Spaced above the lay it is a suitable reed cap I6 which is suitablysecured to the corresponding swords IE and disposed between the reed capI6 and the lay I is a suitable reed 16a forwardly of which is disposed aconventional race plate I? which is suitably secured to the uppersurface of the lay.

It will be observed in Figures 1, 2 and 4 that the race plate is cutaway to provide a notch or cavity I9 therein, the bottom of which, inthis instance, is defined by the upper surface of the lay I6 although itis to be understood that the cavity I9 need only be of such depth as toaccommodate the forwardly and rearwardly extending portions of theseparator fingers or wires to be later described.

The end of the lay shown in the drawings is provided with the usual layend casting I8 and in which one end of a conventional protection rod 2|is oscillatably mounted. This protection rod 2| has a conventionalpressure arm 22 fixed thereon and extending upwardly therefrom and whichis adapted to engage the free ends of a plurality of binders 23 whichextend outwardly and are pivoted by conventional means, not shown, andare pressed inwardly at their free ends to properly box thecorresponding shuttles by conventional springs indicated at 26 in Figure3. These binders 23 are parts of a conventional vertically reciprocablemultiple compartment shuttle box comprising side plates 26 and 21 andhaving a plurality of horizontal partitions 28, 29, 36 and 3i and abottom 32 which define four shuttle receiving compartments A, B, C andD.

The reed cap I6 is provided with a conventional shuttle guard 35 whichextends from one end thereof to the other and which constitutes no partof the present invention. The upper end of the pressure arm 22 is biasedrearwardly or towards the shuttle box by conventional spring means, notshown, associated with the protection rod El, and in order to limitoutward movement of the binders 23, there is provided a combined stopand support member indicated at d2 which is suitably secured, as bywelding, to the front box plate 26 by legs 63 and 44. This combined stopand support member 32 has a plurality of horizontal portions 65 forassisting in guiding the free ends of the binders 63. The partsheretofore described are the usual parts of a multiple shuttle loom andit is with these parts that the present invention is adapted to beassociated.

It will be observed in Figures 1 and 4 that a suitable bracket or plate56 is suitably secured, as by bolts to the front surface of the frontplate 26 and adjacent the end of the shuttle box nearest the selvage ofthe cloth fabric being woven. The bracket 56 is threadably penetrated bya plurality of vertically spaced bolts, three of which are shown in thedrawings and which are indicated at 54, 55 and 56. Suitable lock nuts5'! are provided on the inner ends of these bolts.

Collars 66, 6E and 62 are oscillatably mounted on the respective bolts54, 55 and 56 and it will be noted that these collars are eccentricallymounted on the corresponding bolts 54, 55 and 56 so as to provideportions thereon which are penetrated by respective separator fingers65, 66 and 61, these fingers 65, 66 and 67 being suitably secured in thecorresponding collars 60, 6| and 62.

It will be noted that each of these fingers extends inwardly towards thecenter of the lay and it curves upwardly and then downwardly and thesefingers 65, 66 and 6! are provided with rearwardly extending portions65a, 66a and 61a, respectively, which are adapted to, at times, rest inthe cavity I9 in the race plate I'I. It might be stated that each of thefingers 55, 66 and 67 is curved in the manner described between itsrespective collar and the corresponding rearwardly extending portions65a, 66a and 61a so as to provide a generally upwardly curving portionwhich extends slightly above the upper surface of the race plate I 1when they are in a lowered position and also extends upwardly when theyare in a raised position to thus retain the filling thereon duringrearward movement of the lay.

Since the rearwardly extending portion 65a of the uppermost finger 65would never have occasion to move upwardly beyond the horizontal planeof the bottom 29 of the upper compartment A as the shuttle box is movedto a lowermost position, the upper separator finger 65 is biasedupwardly by a suitable torsion spring 10, one end of which encircles theportion of the upper separator finger 65 adjacent the collar BI! and theother end of which is disposed in one of a pair of transverse slots 72in the head 13 of the bolt 54, the medial portion of the torsion spring70, of course, encircles the bolt 54. It will be observed in Figures 2and 4 that a portion of the separator finger 65 projects through thecollar 66, to the left in Figure 4 and normally engages a suitable stoppin 15 secured in the plate or bracket 50 and which is provided to limitupper movement of the free end of the separator finger 65 so that theforwardly and rearwardly extending portion 56a thereof is normallydisposed at substantially the same horizontal plane as the bottom 29 ofthe upper compartment A.

It might be stated that the uppermost separator finger 65 is normallybiased upwardly so that, as the shuttle box is moved upwardly to itsuppermost position, the rearwardly extending portion 65a thereof mayengage the lower surface of the reed cap to thus cause the finger 65 tomove in a clockwise direction in Figures 1 and 4 and will thus notinterfere with upward movement of the shuttle box. However, if the reedcap I 6 does not extend outwardly to where it will extend above thevertical plane of the rearwardly extending portion 65a of the upperseparator finger 65, then the upper separator finger 65 would not haveto be biased in either direction and could remain in fixed relation tothe bottom 29 of the upper compartment A.

The collars 6! and 62, which are oscillatably and eccentrically mountedon the bolts 55 and 55 have the respective fingers 66 and 61 projectingtherethrough in off center relation. These fingers are normally biaseddownwardly to cause the outer ends of these separator fingers 66 and 6?to normally engage respective stop pins 83 and 66 suitably secured inthe bracket 50. The separator fingers 66 and 6'! are normally biaseddownwardly at their free inner ends by respective torsion springs 80 and81' which encircle the respective bolts 55 and 56.

One end of the torsion spring 80 is bent around the finger 6t adjacentthe collar 64 and the other 5 end thereof is disposed in one of a pairof transverse slots 8! in the head 82 of the bolt 55. One end of thetorsion spring 81 is secured around the finger 6! adjacent the collar 62and the other end thereof is disposed in one of a pair of trans- 10verse slots 89 in the head 90 of the bolt 56.

It is thus seen that the two fingers 6B and 61, are biased to causetheir free ends to move downwardly but are limited as to downwardmovement by the respective stop pins 83 and 86, these stop pins 83 and86 being so positioned that the rearwardly extending portions 56a and61a of the respective separator fingers 6B and 61 will be disposed insubstantially the same horizontal plane as the bottoms 3E) and iii ofthe respective compartments B and C in the shuttle box when theseparticular compartments are elevated above the horizontal plane of therace plate I1. On the other hand, as the compartments other than theuppermost compartment A are lowered below the horizontal plane of therace plate H, the lower surfaces of the rearwardly extending portions66a and 51a of the respective fingers 65 and 61 will engage the uppersurfaces of the yarns extending from the shuttle box disposed therebelowto the selvage of the fabric being woven to thus clamp this yarn againstthe upper surface of the lay in the notch I9 so that the yarn will notbe drawn into the shed.

In the drawings, there are shown filling yarns PM and F-2 extending fromthe respective compartments A and B of the shuttle box to the selvage ofthe fabric being woven, although it is to be understood that similarfilling ends would also extend from the compartments C and D, and, whenthe shuttle box is in the position shown in Figures 1 and i, the fillingend extending from both these compartments would be clamped beneath therearwardly extending portions 65a and 61a of the fingers 55 and 61respectively, while the filling end extending from compartment B isdisposed above the rearwardly extending portions 86a and 61a of theseparator fingers E6 and 61', respectively.

t is evident that upon downward movement of the shuttle box from theposition shown in Figures 1 and 4, the lower surface of the rearwardlyextending portion 65a of the separator finger 65 would assume a positionbetween the two rearwardly extending portions 660, and 61a and wouldclamp the end extending from compartment B against the upper surface ofthe lay in the notch is as the shuttle from the compartment A issubsequently thrown across the lay above the rearwardly extendingportion 65a of the separator finger 65. Since the finger a cannot moveupwarolly beyond the point at which is engages the corresponding stoppin 1'5 it is evident that the horizontal portion 65a thereof should beaccurate- 1y adjusted or positioned so as to reside in the; 65 cavity 19when the shuttle box is in a lowermost position, that is, when thecompartment A is disposed in alinement with the race plate II.

It is thus seen that the rearwardly extending portion 65a of theseparator finger 65 will elevate the corresponding filling F-i so as tohold the filling F! from the top compartment A in elevated positionwhile the filling F4 from another shuttle is pro ected from thecompartment B to and fro across the lay to return to the compartment B.Thus, the filling F-l will be elevated out of the path of travel of theshuttle carrying the filling F4. Now, when the shuttle box is raised tothe point where a shuttle is to be carried from and returned to theshuttle receiving compartment C, it is evident that the finger 66 willmove a partial revolution in a clockwise direction in Figure 4 until itengages the stop pin 33 and will thus move upwardly with the shuttle boxto elevate the filling F-Z to thereby move the same above the path ofthe shuttle to be discharged from the shuttle compartment C. Now, atthis point, the rearwardly extending portion 65a will engage the lowersurface of the reed cap l6 At this time, the transverse or rearwardlyextending portion 66a of the separator finger fit will also occupy aposition substantially the same as that in which the separator finger B5is shown in Figure 4.

Now, presuming that the shuttle box is elevated to its highest positionto cause the shuttle receiving compartment D- to be on the same level asthe race plate ll, this would cause the finger 65 to be depressed by thelower edge of the reed cap and the finger 66 would be elevated againstthe reed cap while the finger 61 would also rise upwardly to lift thefilling extending from the shuttle in compartment C since the fingerwould come in contact with the stop pin 86. All of the filling yarnsfrom the shuttles in compartments A, B and C would thus be lifted abovethe lay and out of the path of travel of the shuttle from thecompartment D.

For sake of clarity, in the drawings the filling yarns extending fromthe compartments C and D are omitted.

All of these operations are automatic as a result of the relativemovement between the shuttle box and the lay of the loom and depend uponno pattern control means or other control apart from the loom as theironly control is their corresponding torsion springs and the stop pinsassociated therewith which cause them to automatically assume the properposition depending upon which compartment of the shuttle box is beingemployed in the same horizontal level as the race plate I! on the lay Itis evident that the filling yarns extending from any of the compartmentswhich may be disposed below the level of the lay will be clamped againstthe lay by the fingers of the compar ment or compartments thereabove toalso prevent these yarns from interfering with the operation of anactive shuttle and to prevent the filling from the inactive shuttlesfrom being pulled into the shed by the active shuttles.

It is thus seen that I have provided an im proved filling separator formultiple shuttle looms that is simple and economical to manufacture,that employs but a minimum of parts. that does not interfere withexisting parts of the loom and does not need to be coupled to any movingparts of the loom for operation thereby. The separator fingers of thedevice are so mounted as to be readily adapted to any type of loom. Thecurved portions of the fingers prevent the filling from slipping off thefingers during rearward motion of the lay and the stops on the bracket59 insure positive positioning of the rearwardly extending portions ofthe corresponding fingers at each boxed position.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. In a multiple shuttle loom having lay and also having a multiplecompartment shuttle box vertically reciprocable up and down to aplurality of positions to bring a selected respective compartmentopposite an end. of said lay, an improved filling yarn separator forseparating the portions of the filling yarns which extend from theadjacent selvage of the cloth being woven to the respective compartmentsof the shuttle box comprising at least two fingers osciliatably mountedon the shuttle box and having transverse portions on the free endsthereof which are normally disposed in engagement with the upper surfaceof the lay when the shuttle box is in a lowered position to cause thefilling yarn cast into the corresponding compartment of the shuttle boxto extend above the corresponding transverse portions, spring meansassociated with the uppermost of said fingers to urge the end thereofupwardly, stop means for restricting the upward movement of saiduppermost finger, spring means normally urging the fingers other thanthe uppermost finger downwardly at their free ends and stop means associated with the corresponding last-named fingers for restrictingdownward movement of the free ends of said fingers to thus cause thefingers to move with the shuttle box upon further upward movementthereof and to remain in substantial alinement with the horizontal planeof the bottoms of the corresponding cornpartments in the shuttle box tothus elevate the filling'yarns directed to the correspondingcompartments upon upward movement of the shuttle box.

2. In a multiple shuttle loom having an oscillatable lay for weavingfabric and also having a reed cap spaced above the lay and beingoscillatable therewith, said loom also having a vertically reciprocableshuttle box on at least one end of said lay provided with at least twocompartments for accommodating corresponding shuttles, an improvedfilling yarn separator for elevating the filling yarn extending from theuppermost of the compartments to the adjacent I selvage of the fabricupon a shuttle being thrown into said uppermost compartment andfollowing the alinement of a lowermost compartment with the uppersurface of the lay comprising a finger carried by the shuttle box andhaving a transverse portion on the free end thereof adapted to move upand down with up and down movement of the shuttle box, stop means on theshuttle box, spring means associated with the finger to normally urgethe free end of the finger upwardly and said stop means being sopositioned as to prevent the free end of said finger from moving to aposition above the horizontal plane of the bottom of the uppermostcompartment whereby, upon elevating the shuttle box, the finger mayengage and be biased downwardly by the reed cap with the filling fromthe shuttle in the uppermost compartment held between the finger and thelower surface of the reed cap.

3. In a multiple shuttle loom having an oscillatable lay and also havinga vertically reciprocable shuttle box on at least one end of the layprovided with top, middle and lower compartments for carrying respectiveshuttles from which filling ends extend to the adjacent selvage of thefabric being woven, said loom also having a reed cap spaced above thelay, an improved filling end separator for separating said filling endsadjacent the shuttle box comprising a top finger oscillatably mounted ona horizontal axis on the shuttle box and having a transverse portionextending from the free end thereof which normally rests on the uppersurface of the lay when the top compartment of the shuttle box is inalinement with the top surface of the lay, spring means normally urgingthe free end of said top finger upwardly, stop means for restrictingmovement of the top finger, a middle finger oscillatably mounted on ahorizontal axis on the shuttle box below said top fingers and alsohaving a transverse portion thereon extending across the lay, springmeans normally urging the free end of the middle finger downwardly tobring the transverse portion thereof into engagement with the uppersurface of the lay when the top or middle compartment of the shuttle boxis in alinement with the lay, stop means associated with the middlefinger for restricting downward movement of the free end thereofwhereby, upon upward movement of the shuttle box to aline the middlecompartment with the upper surface of the lay, the top finger willelevate the yarn extending from the top compartment to the selvage ofthe fabric so as to be out of the path of travel of the shuttle from themiddle compartment and whereby, upon further upward movement of theshuttle box to aline the bottom compartment with the upper surface ofthe lay, the upper finger will engage and be biased downwardly by thereed cap and the middle finger will elevate the yarn extending from themiddle compartment to the selvage of the fabric so as to be out of thepath of travel of the shuttle from the bottom compartment.

4. In a multiple shuttle loom having an oscillatable lay and also havinga vertically reciprocable shuttle box at least one end of the layprovided with a plurality of compartments into which shuttle-s areadapted to be thrown from the opposite end of said lay, means forseparatng the filling ends which occur between the adacent selvage ofthe fabric and the correspondmg compartments of the shuttle boxcomprising an upper finger fixed on the shuttle box and having atransverse portion on its free end disposed in substantially the samehorizontal plane as the uppermost compartment and across which thefilling end from the uppermost compartment extends, a correspondingfinger for which each of the compartments disposed beneath the uppermostcompartment, each of the last-named fingers having a transverse portionon the free end thereof above which the filling end from the adjacentcompartment of the shuttle box is adapted to extend from the adjacentselvage of the fabric being woven, spring means normally urging the freeends of the last-named transverse portions at the free ends of thelast-named fingers downwardly into engagement with the upper surface ofthe lay, stop means projecting from the shuttle box and associated witheach of the last-named fingers to restrict downward movement of thetransverse portions thereof, said stop means being so positioned that,upon further upward movement of the shuttle box, the transverse portionsof the corresponding last-named fingers will occupy a positionsubstantially in the same horizontal plane as that of the lower surfacesof the corresponding compartments to thus elevate the filling ends fromthe corresponding compartments therewith as they are moved above thehorizontal plane of the lay to prevent entanglement of the filling endswhich extend from the elevated compartments with the filling extendingfrom any compartment which may be disposed in alinement with the lay.

5. In a multiple shuttle loom having an oscillatable lay and also havinga vertically reciprocable shuttle box provided with a top compartment,one or more intermediate compartments and a lower compartment adapted tobe selectively positioned in alinement with the upper surface of thelay, said loom also having a reed cap spaced above the lay and adaptedto oscillate therewith, filling separator means for separating thefilling ends which occur between the shuttle box and the adjacentselvage of the fabric being woven as shuttles are thrown into the corresponding compartments comprising a plurality of fingers mounted onhorizontal axes on the front of said shuttle box, each of said fingershaving a transverse portion on the free end thereof above which thefilling ends from the corresponding compartments of the shuttle box tothe selvage of the fabric being woven extend, there being a first one ofthese fingers associated with each of the intermediate compartments ofthe shuttle box, a second one of said fingers being associated with thetop compartment, stop means extending from the shuttle box associatedwith each of said fingers, a first spring means associated with thesecond finger normally urging the transverse end thereof upwardly, saidstop means preventing movement of the free end thereof above the planeof the lower surface of the top compartment, a second spring meansassociated with each of the first fingers corresponding to theintermediate compartments and normally urging the last-named fingersdownwardly at their free ends, said stop means serving to cause thetransverse portion of the corresponding lastnamed fingers to occupy aposition in substantially the same horizontal plane as the bottoms ofthe corresponding compartments of the shuttle box upon the shuttle boxbeing elevated, said first spring means associated with the secondfinger serving to permit the free end of the second finger to movedownwardly with upward movement of the shuttle box as the transverseportion of the second finger engages the lower surface of the reed capwhereby, upon each of the top, intermediate and lower compartments beingalined with the lay, the filling ends extending from the compartmentsthereabove will be elevated by the corresponding fingers to thus prevententanglement of the filling ends from the elevated compartments with thefilling from the selected compartment disposed in alinement with thelay.

6. In a multiple shuttle loom provided with a vertically reciprocalshuttle box structure having a plurality of shuttle receivingcompartments therein, a filling yarn separator comprising a bracketsecured to said structure, a plurality of fingers pivotally mounted onsaid bracket, said fingers extending from said bracket inwardly of theloom and terminating in transverse yarn engaging portions, each of saidfingers being associated with one of said compartments, means biasingthe topmost of said finger upwardly, fixed means preventing such upwardmovement substantially above the level of the fieor of the topcompartment, means biasing the remainder of said fingers downwardly andfixed means preventing such downward movement substantially below thelevel of the floors of their respective compartments.

7. In a multiple shuttle loom provided with a vertically reciprocalshuttle box tructure having a plurality of shuttle receivingcompartments therein, a filling yarn separator comprising a plurality offingers pivotally mounted on said structure, said fingers extending fromsaid structure inwardly of the loom and terminating in transverse yarnengaging portions, each of said fingers being associated with one ofsaid cornpartments, means biasing the topmost of said fingers upwardly,fixed means preventing such upward movement substantially above thelevel of the fioor of the top compartment, means biasing the remainderof said fingers downwardly and fixed means preventing such downwardmovement substantially below the level of the fioors of their respectivecompartments.

8. In an attachment for multiple shuttle looms having the usual lay anda shuttle box structure provided with a plurality of shuttle boxesadapted to be shifted to bring the shuttles selectively into action, aplurality of yarn engaging fingers pivotally mounted on said shuttle boxstructure in substantial vertical spaced alignment, each of said fingersbeing associated with one of said shuttle boxes, means resilientlyholding each of said fingers in substantially the plane of the fioor ofits corresponding box, fixed means restraining the uppermost of saidfingers against pivotal movement above the plane of the top box floorand fixed means restraining the remainder of said fingers againstpivotal movement below the plane of the floor of the boxes associatedtherewith.

FRED J. LEARD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 397,074 Fitton Jan. 29, 1889 687,433 Moore Nov. 26, 19012,034,967 Wood Mar. 24, 19 6 2,268,307 Schofield et a1 Dec. 30, 1941FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 185,138 Germany May 16, 552,381France Apr. 30, 1923

